February 2010 Babies

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r

Taking Ibuprofen-is it safe later in pregnancy?

rcemarie wrote:

I know you're not supposed to take ibuprofen (advil/motrin, etc) during pregnancy, but honestly...I've been sick as a dog for the last 4 days, I have a splitting headache, and DH's great-aunt is taking us out to dinner in an hour. I feel TERRIBLE, and tylenol just isn't doing it.

I'm due on Saturday, I can't seem to remember WHY you're not supposed to take ibuprofen, so, does anyone know why, and if it might be safe to take some?

@rcemarie You know, I just looked into it this weekend. I have a vague memory of my first OB telling me it was okay this late with my first two kids. I couldn't find anything definitive on the internet, though. I found a LOT of contradictory info. Most of it agrees that it's probably okay for one or two doses, so I guess it depends on your risk tolerance. I'm sure I took some with my first kids because I never questioned that OB. He's retired, and I've found another one and I don't trust her as well, so I'm always looking things up and second guessing myself. Sorry that wasn't very helpful. If it were me, I'd pop two ibuprofen and enjoy your dinner. Or, alternatively, double the Tylenol dose, it's still lower than perscription levels.

Have you had your BP checked lately, though? I worry about such a long headache.

It's probably safer later in pregnancy because the baby is mostly done developing at this point is just growing.

One dose PROBABLY won't hurt..but if it were me, I'd honestly call the doctor.

God bless,Michelle

PS Do you normally drink alot of caffiene? If not, then having a cup of coffee or a soda with a few tylenol can often do the trick better than just tylenol by itself. Most migrain meds are a combo of tylenol, aspirin and caffiene. And mixing caffiene with tylenol usually works great for me when plain tylenol won't.

r

rcemarie

@Elyce2010 Oops, I guess I didn't word that right...I've had an upper respiratory infection for the past few days, but the headache just popped up a couple of hours ago.

I've already taken more than the recommended dose, which is why I'm thinking about adding the advil on top of it. Â :o/

r

rcemarie

@Michelle_M I completely forgot how well a cup of coffee can work, thanks for the reminder!

I'm going to go make a cup now, and see if that helps...tylenol and caffeine worked brilliantly in the earlier months...I don't know why I didn't think of it!

(The baby is eating my brain...!)

m

mistykttn84

@rcemarie I had issues with Migraines and my OB cleared me to take IBU up untill 32 weeks, after that it is not safe at all, something to do with the valves in the baby's heart.

Sorry that you aren't feeling well.

m

michelle022010

@rcemarie I looked into this before and found several sources that said definitely not to take it during the last three months of pregnancy. There is a hole in the heart of unborn babies, so that the blood bypasses the lungs until birth. This hole closes when the baby is born. Apparently, taking Ibuprofen near the end of pregnancy can cause this hole to close before birth. If Tylenol isn't working, I would call your doctor. I think they want to know about headaches that Tylenol doesn't take care of anyway.I hope you feel better soon. The third trimester is rough enough without being sick!

@rcemarie NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!! It can affect bleeding somehow, especially in the 3rd trimester!!!!

l

lil_vampire

@rcemarie I woke up one day a few months ago in complete agony from a migraine. I tried everything and nothing was helping, I had no tylenol and no way to get to store. I took one dose of Ibuprofen, I asked my doctor later and she said "One time is okay it won't hurt." I believe everything is safe in moderation.

I don't know exactly why, but I know that aspirin can't be given to children because it can cause some disease (Reye's Syndrome I think) don't know much about it, except it's bad. That's probably why we can't have it either, but I don't know for sure.

@rcemariei just had this discussion a few weeks before I had Annabelle

My ob told me that taking advil/ibuprofen in third trimester can be deadly at delivery...

the reason being is that it thins out your blood and if you end up bleeding at delivery or you end up wtih a csection you can bleed out...

he said that in second trimester is "safer" but still not reccomended to take...but in third trimester is really dangerous...

hope this helps

k

kathleen06

Ibuprofen is absolutely a no-no in the last trimester of pregnancy- it can have an effect on the last stages of development in the fetal heart. I'm a pharmacist, I am sure of this answer. Tylenol is still safe, but I agree it doesn't work as well!

n

nsingh

@rcemarie DO NOT TAKE IBUPROFEN. Â it can close the pda (patent ductus arteriosus) Â in your baby"s heart. Â this needs to stay open, and closes around the first few days of life after they take thier first breath. Â if you took one dose, dont beat yourself up. Â but it is not safe to take at ANY time during pregnancy.

r

rcemarie

YIKES! Â Thanks for all the answers, I didn't end up taking any (the coffee worked it's magic), I'm glad I thought to ask!

I didn't realize that it could cause such major problems-I know that there are certain things they advise you to stay away from that aren't necessarily going to hurt the baby as long as it a one time type thing, but this doesn't seem to be one of them, so thanks everyone.

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